The present invention relates to a mounting assembly for supporting a spray head in a wall of a tub or shower installation.
Conventional body spray assemblies typically use a simple rotatable ball spray head to provide the swivel required for directing fluid flow. Such conventional ball spray heads have necessitated that the entire body spray assembly be positioned on the visible side of the tub or shower installation.
The present invention provides a swivel mount permitting at least a portion of the spray head assembly to be hidden behind the wall of the tub or shower installation. This provides not only a more pleasing installed appearance with less spray head assembly exposed within the tub or shower, but also permits the use of spray heads having increased axial lengths. For example, technically advanced spray heads often include complex arrangements of fluid chips and, as such, have a length greater than conventional ball spray heads. The swivel mount of the present invention permits recessed mounting, thereby facilitating the use of such elongated spray heads without causing undesired intrusion into the tub or shower installation.
The swivel mount of the present invention includes a body coupled to the spray head and having an outer surface with a semi-spherical portion. A holder supports the body, and a seal is positioned intermediate the semi-spherical portion of the body and the holder. First and second retainers cooperate to compress the seal between the body and the holder with sufficient force to provide sealing engagement therebetween while permitting rotating and pivoting movement of the body relative to the holder.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the presently perceived best mode of carrying out the invention.